AN: I hope you guys like this. I had deleted this before because I didn't really like it and was a bit discouraged, but now I changed my mind again, lol. I feel much better presenting this after I edited this and hopefully it's good enough. And this of course, is Harry/Hermione, so please no one tell me I'm delusional for loving this couple. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
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A Harry Potter One-shot
Author: wubbzy
Count: 881
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Brave New World
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This time she was awakened
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Hermione had aspirations of going to Oxford.
It was her dream university, and she wanted nothing more than to study there. She had it all planned out at the age of six, when her first grade teacher asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up. Dedicating herself to her assignments as always, she planned her entire life out – every nook and cranny, every step was there for her to take as time passed by.
She always looked straightforward, knowing exactly what she was going to do, planning and assuring herself on how she was going to get there.
Destiny had many things in store for Hermione Granger. Her original plans, however, weren't one of them.
She had plans A, B, C – all the way to Z. If one path didn't work, she would manage to modify it to another one, but she did plan to reach the same destination. She wasn't counting on ever having to use her plan B, but she always wanted to be prepared. Hermione Granger was always prepared.
She had been one hundred percent certain that she was heading to Oxford University; there was no doubt in her mind. She was sure she would become as successful as her parents or make a name for herself in the scientific community.
This was what she was striving for, this was her reality: exceed at everything and be the best.
This was one in two times where her whole life plan, everything she once knew, changed.
Her world altered when she received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After her first experience with magic, she wondered how she could have remained dormant for so long. She wondered how she could not have been exposed, able to experience such a beauty in the world as magic.
Her old world was gone, and she stepped into this new world with open arms and a wand, ready to excel at Hogwarts as well. Because Hermione Granger, no matter what it was, would be the best at whatever she did.
And this change was simple, because it was magic, and it excited her and it was fascinating.
She knew she belonged, and her entire world had morphed into new dreams and aspirations.
This was the very first instant where she had to rethink everything she once knew.
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There was only one other instant, and this one wasn't as lucid as her eleven year old self accepting the invitation to Hogwarts.
This instance confused her, and she was old enough to question her feelings and – what was she doing?
The only other instance was when she was looking for Hocruxes, surviving in that tent, with Harry.
At first she dismissed it completely, understanding that being in a tent with one person would lead to straying thoughts that should have been impossible to have, because really, he was her best friend.
She had watched him, and they had been together for so long. She cared for him, and she loved him.
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There are some things that make one feel they are living a dream in the world they see before them. They haven't opened up to see the world that was always hidden until one finally awakens.
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And she had felt miserable in that tent too. She felt as though she lost everything, yet she still hung onto all that was left - Harry. And for some reason, this meant more to her than anything else.
This was when everything changed. How she yearned for his touch, his lips on hers...
Now, after the war, she was with Ron, and she didn't know what to do anymore. She always planned on ending up with Ron Weasley. That was what she had wanted since fourth year. She had wanted him to ask her to the Yule Ball, she had wanted him to admit he liked her, she had wanted them to become a couple – she had wanted it all with Ron.
He was there now. Everything she planned for was happening just how she wanted: with her hand in his. Yet, somehow, she yearned for someone else's touch, she wished to reach for someone else.
She knew what she wanted. That was not the problem. She had always known what she truly wanted.
Her perspective just changed as she matured. She desired something entirely different.
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There were only two instances where Hermione had to rethink everything she once knew.
However, she didn't have to think anymore. She had no plan of action, no way out, no way to go about these new, peculiar feelings of hers.
She just knew the world she saw changed completely, bringing an array of colors to her life she never knew existed – colors she might have believed she saw, but never truly experienced until now.
Falling in love with Harry Potter was not what changed her world.
It was the fact that she was awakened. Her eyes were opened to what she always knew in her heart: she loved Harry Potter. She would do anything for him, and it was in that instance, where everything she knew changed completely, where everything was finally clear.
It was always there, she just had to open her eyes to that brave new world.
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AN: I hope you all enjoyed this! xD I was really surprised that so many people liked my last Harry Potter fic, and was hoping many liked this one as well. Please review, tell me what you think! Hopefully this was okay. Again, I'm not delusional.